Mycorrhizal symbioses found in roots of fern and its relatives in Korea

Mycorrhizal symbioses were found in the roots of 45 out of 59 species of pteridophytes collected in Korea. The mycorrhizal fungi were colonized in the root cortical cells, primarily in terrestrial species, but rarely in epiphytic or aquatic pteridophytes. Mycorrhizae that are typically found in orchid colonized the roots of the epiphytic pteridophytes, but not in other species. These were the first observations of orchid mycorrhizae in pteridophytes. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi were examined after staining, then confirmed with PCR, using a specific primer. This is the first report of arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization in the roots of pteridophyte species in Asia.     

蕨类植物的VA菌根与蕨类植物系统演化关系的研究

通过对云南热带、亚热带生长的２５６种蕨类植物ＶＡ菌根的调查,发现蕨类植物ＶＡ菌根营养者所占的比例低于被子植物;在真蕨类植物中,植物具有由ＶＡ菌根营养经兼性ＶＡ菌根营养向自养方向进化的趋势。     

9种蕨类植物丛枝菌根真菌侵染的结构观察

蕨类植物普遍能与丛枝菌根真菌(arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi,AMF)形成稳定的共生关系,并显著增强其获取养分和抵抗环境胁迫的能力,为了明晰AMF在不同蕨类植物体内的侵染特征,该研究对广东封开黑石顶自然保护区内的蕨类植物进行野外调查取样,并利用光镜和透射电镜对蕨类植物—AMF共生体的显微和亚显微结构进行观察分析,以明确不同蕨类植物与AMF的共生特征,从而进一步保护和开发利用华南地区蕨类植物资源。结果表明:(1)研究区的AMF对不同蕨类植物的侵染形式均以菌丝为主,而丛枝侵染率最低;不同蕨类植物之间的AMF总侵染率存在显著差异,其中团叶鳞始蕨(56.03%)均显著高于其他物种(P<0.05)。(2)显微观察显示,菌丝是AMF定殖于各种蕨类植物根系中最常见的形式,在9种蕨类植物根皮层细胞中均有发现,但不存在于中柱细胞。(3)观察发现,AMF菌丝主要由2~3层厚薄不一的薄壁细胞组成,多呈椭圆形和扁平形状。(4)AMF菌丝及泡囊中包含许多小液泡和脂质类物质,这可能是菌根结构储存能量的重要方式。研究认为,陆地生态系统中AMF对蕨类植物普遍具有侵染的能力,但其在不同蕨类植物根系中的赋存形式具有显著差异,这可能归因于植物自身生理特征以及生境条件的相互作用。     

Arbuscular mycorrhiza formation in cordate gametophytes of two ferns, Angiopteris lygodiifolia and Osmunda japonica

Mycorrhizal symbiosis is common among land plants including pteridophytes (monilophytes and lycophytes). In pteridophytes with diplohaplontic life cycle, mycorrhizal formations were mostly reported for sporophytes, but very few for gametophytes. To clarify the mycorrhizal association of photosynthetic gametophytes, field-collected gametophytes of Angiopteris lygodiifolia (Marattiaceae, n = 52) and Osmunda japonica (Osmundaceae, n = 45) were examined using microscopic and molecular techniques. Collected gametophytes were mostly cut into two pieces. One piece was used for light and scanning microscopic observations, and the other for molecular identification of plant species (chloroplast rbcL sequences) and mycorrhizal fungi (small subunit rDNA sequences). Microscopic observations showed that 96 % (50/52) of Angiopteris and 95 % (41/43) of Osmunda gametophytes contained intracellular hyphae with arbuscules and/or vesicles and fungal colonization was limited to the inner tissue of the thick midribs (cushion). Fungal DNA analyses showed that 92 % (48/52) of Angiopteris and 92 % (35/38) of Osmunda have sequences of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, which were highly divergent but all belonged to Glomus group A. These results suggest that A. lygodiifolia and O. japonica gametophytes consistently form arbuscular mycorrhizae. Mycorrhizal formation in wild fern gametophytes, based on large-scale sampling with molecular identification of host plant species, was demonstrated for the first time.     

The diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the subtropical forest of Huangshan (Yellow Mountain), East-Central China

The world heritage of Huangshan is located in the east-central China. In order to obtain a better overview of biodiversity in Huangshan, we investigated the diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the soil of Huangshan. Forty-two rhizosphere soil samples were collected and 989 arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal spore samples were obtained using the wet-sieving method. Twenty-five species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi were identified from the collections. The species were of the genera Acaulospora (6 species), Entrophospora (1 species), Glomus (16 species) and Scutellospora (2 species). Acaulospora and Glomus were dominant at the study site. The arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi spore density ranged from 45 to 3,250 per 100 g soil (average 839), and the species richness of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi ranged from 1 to 9 (average 4.2) per soil sample. Shannon–Wiener index and Simpson’s index were calculated to evaluate the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal diversity. The diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal community in the subtropical forest of Huangshan may be the result of mutual selection between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and the ecological environment.     

Responses of plant community mycorrhization to anthropogenic influence depend on the habitat and mycorrhizal type

Anthropogenic impact represents a major pressure on ecosystems, yet little is known about how it affects symbiotic relationships, such as mycorrhizal symbiosis, which plays a crucial role in ecosystem functioning. We analyzed the effects of three human impact types – increasing urbanity, introduction of alien plant species (alienness) and modifications in plant species distribution ranges (as a proxy for naturalness) – on plant community overall mycorrhization (including arbuscular, ecto‐, ericoid and orchid mycorrhizal plants) and arbuscular mycorrhization (indicating the degree of forming mycorrhizal symbiosis at plant community level using the relative abundance of mycorrhizal and arbuscular mycorrhizal plants, respectively). The study was carried out in three habitat types, each dominated by a distinct mycorrhizal type – ectomycorrhizal woodlands, ericoid mycorrhizal heathlands and arbuscular mycorrhizal grasslands – at the regional scale in the Netherlands. The response of community mycorrhization and arbuscular mycorrhization to anthropogenic influence showed contrasting patterns, depending on the specific aspect of human impact. Community mycorrhization responded negatively to urbanity and positively to increasing alienness, while arbuscular mycorrhization showed the reverse trend. More natural heathlands were found to be more mycorrhizal and less arbuscular mycorrhizal. The strongest responses were detected in woodlands and heathlands, while mycorrhization in grasslands was relatively insensitive to human impact. Our study highlights the importance of considering mycorrhizal symbiosis in understanding and quantifying the effects of anthropogenic influence on plant communities, especially in woodlands and heathlands.     

Arbuscular Mycorrhizae in the Dry hot Valley of Jinsha River(Binchuan and Yongsheng)

The arbuscular mycorrhizal status of 65 plant species growing in the dry hot valley of Jinsha River (Binchuan and Yongsheng Counties) was surveyed by means of acid stain after the roots were lysised in alkaline solution.It was found that plants growing in different areas of the dry hot valley of Jinsha River shown a different arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal infection and infection intensity.Most of common plant species growing in the dry hot valley of Jinsha River usually formed arbuscular mycorrhizae.The arbuscular mycorrhizal status of a definite plant species in different parts of the river may be relative to its mycorrhizal dependency.     

金沙江干热河谷宾川、永胜段的丛枝菌根

用碱解离、酸性品红染色法对金沙江干热河谷宾川、永胜段 6 5种植物的丛枝菌根状况进行了调查 ,结果发现干热河谷不同河段植物根系的丛枝菌根真菌感染率、感染程度有一定的差异 ;干热河谷中大多数常见植物在不同河段中都形成丛枝菌根 ,同种植物在不同河段中的丛枝菌根状况可能与植物对丛枝菌根的依赖性有关。     

The mycorrhizal status and colonization of 26 tree species growing in urban and rural environments

Urban environments are highly disturbed and fragmented ecosystems that commonly have lower mycorrhizal fungal species richness and diversity compared to rural or natural ecosystems. In this study, we assessed whether the mycorrhizal status and colonization of trees are influenced by the overall environment (rural vs. urban) they are growing in. Soil cores were collected from the rhizosphere of trees growing in urban and rural environments around southern Ontario. Roots were extracted from the soil cores to determine whether the trees were colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, ectomycorrhizal fungi, or both, and to quantify the percent colonization of each type of mycorrhizal fungi. All 26 tree species were colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, and seven tree species were dually colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal and ectomycorrhizal fungi. Overall, arbuscular mycorrhizal and ectomycorrhizal fungal colonization was significantly (p < 0.001) lower in trees growing in urban compared to rural environments. It is not clear what ‘urban’ factors are responsible for the reduction in mycorrhizal fungal colonization; more research is needed to determine whether inoculating urban trees with mycorrhizal fungi would increase colonization levels and growth of the trees.     

丛枝菌根真菌对枳根净离子流及锌污染下枳苗矿质营养的影响

盆栽实验研究了不同施Zn水平(0、300 mg/kg和600 mg/kg)下,接种丛枝菌根真菌Glomus intraradices对枳苗生长、Zn、Cu、P、K、Ca、Mg分布的影响,并采用非损伤微测技术测定分析了菌根化与非菌根化枳根净Ca²⁺、H⁺、NO₃^-离子流动态。结果表明:(1)在不同施Zn水平下,接种菌根真菌显著提高了枳苗地上部及根部鲜重;随着施Zn水平的提高,菌根侵染率呈降低趋势,枳苗地上部与根部Zn含量呈增加趋势,且接种株根部Zn含量显著高于未接种株。(2)接种株未施Zn处理的地上部Cu、P、K、Mg和根部Cu含量、施600 mg/kg Zn处理的根部Cu及施300 mg/kg Zn处理的根部P含量均显著高于对照,而菌根真菌侵染对枳苗Ca含量并无显著性影响。(3)接种株未施Zn处理的根部距根尖端0 μm和600 μm处净Ca²⁺流出速率、600 μm处净H⁺流入速率、2400 μm处净NO₃^-流入速率均显著高于未接种株。     

柑橘丛枝菌根形态结构观察

以田间栽培的‘国庆1号’温州蜜柑(Citrus unshiu ‘Guoqing No.1’)/枳(Poncirus trifoliata)和‘国庆4号’温州蜜柑(C.unshiu ‘Guoqing No.4’)/枳为试材观察丛枝菌根的形态结构。结果表明,泡囊、丛枝、侵入点、根内菌丝、根外菌丝、根外厚垣孢子等结构出现在柑橘根系中,说明柑橘属于典型的丛枝菌根植物。丛枝菌根结构中泡囊出现概率较小,丛枝随处可见,侵入点多样化。丛枝菌根的结构主要存在柑橘根段的伸长区和成熟区,首次观察到根冠和分生区也有侵染。     

Distribution of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae in the plants and rhizosphere soils of the tropical plains,Tamil Nadu,India

We examined 737 plant species from 121 families of angiosperms and four species of pteridophytes for mycorrhizal association. Only 372 species showed infection. Mycorrhizal colonization was recorded in 49% of the total flora. The quantum of colonization ranged from 10% to 90%. In all, 35 species exhibited mycorrhizal colonization higher than 75%. Of the four pteridophytes, Isoetes coromandelina showed mycorrhizal colonization by Entrophospora schenckii and Glomus aggregation in its rhizosphere. For the first time in India, 102 of these species were reported to be mycorrhizal. Glomus fasciculatum (13.8%) and G. aggregation (11%) were prevalent in the rhizosphere soils. Acaulospora foveata (0.2%), A. longula (0.5%) and Glomus hoi (0.9%) were the least represented as mycorrhizal spores. A total of 40 vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal species belonging to Acaulospora, Entrophospora, Gigaspora, Glomus, Sclerocystis and Scutellospora were isolated from the rhizosphere soils of different ecosystems.     

Phylogeny of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi predicts community composition of symbiosis-associated bacteria

Many physicochemical and biotic aspects of the soil environment determine the community composition of bacteria. In this study, we examined the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, common symbionts of higher plants, on the composition of bacterial communities after long-term (7-8 years) enrichment culture in the presence of a plant host. We showed that the phylogeny of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal isolates was a highly significant predictor of bacterial community composition, as assessed by cluster analysis, redundancy analysis and linear discriminant analysis of phospholipid fatty acid patterns. Numerous phospholipid fatty acids differed between the phylogenetic groupings; this pattern also held for fungal-origin phospholipid fatty acids and in a combined bacterial/fungal analysis, suggesting that categorizing phospholipid fatty acids into predominantly bacterial and fungal origin did not affect the overall outcome. The mechanisms underlying this observation could include substrate quality (and quantity) effects, interactions mediated by the host plant (e.g. rhizodeposition) and direct biotic interactions between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and bacterial populations. Our results suggest that aspects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal functions may be partially explained by the symbiosis-accompanying bacterial communities, a possibility that should be explicitly considered in studies examining the roles of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal species diversity in soil and ecosystem processes.     

Patterns of plant naturalization show that facultative mycorrhizal plants are more likely to succeed outside their native Eurasian ranges

The naturalization of an introduced species is a key stage during the invasion process. Therefore, identifying the traits that favor the naturalization of non-native species can help understand why some species are more successful when introduced to new regions. The ability and the requirement of a plant species to form a mutualism with mycorrhizal fungi, together with the types of associations formed may play a central role in the naturalization success of different plant species. To test the relationship between plant naturalization success and their mycorrhizal associations we analysed a database composed of mycorrhizal status and type for 1981 species, covering 155 families and 822 genera of plants from Europe and Asia, and matched it with the most comprehensive database of naturalized alien species across the world (GloNAF). In mainland regions, we found that the number of naturalized regions was highest for facultative mycorrhizal, followed by obligate mycorrhizal and lowest for non-mycorrhizal plants, suggesting that the ability of forming mycorrhizas is an advantage for introduced plants. We considered the following mycorrhizal types: arbuscular, ectomycorrhizal, ericoid and orchid mycorrhizal plants. Further, dual mycorrhizal species were those that included observations of arbuscular mycorrhizas as well as observations of ectomycorrhizas. Naturalization success (based on the number of naturalized regions) was highest for arbuscular mycorrhizal and dual mycorrhizal plants, which may be related to the low host specificity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and the consequent high availability of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal partners. However, these patterns of naturalization success were erased in islands, suggesting that the ability to form mycorrhizas may not be an advantage for establishing self-sustaining populations in isolated regions. Taken together our results show that mycorrhizal status and type play a central role in the naturalization process of introduced plants in many regions, but that their effect is modulated by other factors.     

多胺对离体培养条件下丛枝菌根真菌生长发育的影响*

研究离体培养条件下多胺 (PUT,SPD,SPM) 及多胺生物合成抑制剂 (MGBG) 对丛枝菌根真菌 (Glomus mosseae, Gigaspora margarita) 孢子萌发特性及菌丝生长发育的影响。试验结果表明,3种多胺类物质在50 ~200g/ml浓度范围内,对丛枝菌根真菌生长发育具显著促进作用,而500礸/ml浓度处理对丛枝菌根真菌生长发育表现强烈的抑制效应。MGBG (50 ~500g/ml) 对丛枝菌根真菌生长发育有较强的抑制作用,且可被外源多胺部分解除,但随浓度升高外源多胺的恢复作用降低,500礸/ml时无效。多胺对丛枝菌根真菌生长发育的促进作用因多胺类型及真菌菌种的变化而有不同的最适浓度范围。作者认为丛枝菌根真菌体内内源多胺的含量也许是其生长发育的限制因子。     

Restoration of plant communities in The Netherlands through the application of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

The aim of plant restoration projects is usually the recovery of the original native plant communities. However, in The Netherlands after restoration management practices have been completed, novel plant communities often develop and there is a return of only 50% to 60% of the desired plant species. A potential cause could be that the biological communities of the soil develop insufficiently to support a high diversity of plant species. This research project focused on the role of the soil biological community in controlling plant diversity. In particular, this project studied whether arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi a major component of the soil biological community, promote native plants. Field research indicated that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi were present in the soil, even though colonization levels of arbuscules were low, 10% or less. The greatest abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi was observed at locations where the top soil was removed and where nutrient concentrations were reduced. The results of pot experiments showed that applied arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi significantly promoted the growth of native plant species. A cost benefit analysis revealed that the benefits of applying arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi exceeded the costs. This makes the application of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi an attractive proposition.     

Phialophora graminicola, a dark septate fungus, is a beneficial associate of the grass Vulpia ciliata ssp. ambigua

The influence of three organic compounds and bakers' dry yeast on growth of external mycelium and phosphorus uptake of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus intraradices Schenck & Smith (BEG 87) was examined. Two experiments were carried out in compartmentalized growth systems with root-free sand or soil compartments. The sand and soil in the root-free compartments were left untreated or uniformly mixed with one of the following substrates (0.5 mg g⁻¹ soil): bakers' dry yeast, bovine serum albumin, starch or cellulose. Effects of the organic substrates on biomass and hyphal length density of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus were examined by using specific fatty acid signatures in combination with direct microscopy. Micro-organisms other than the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus were measured by fatty acid signatures, and radioactive ³³P labelling of the root-free soil was used to determine arbuscular mycorrhizal hyphal phosphorus uptake. In general, hyphal growth of G. intraradices was enhanced by yeast and bovine serum albumin, whereas the carbon sources, starch and cellulose, depressed fungal growth. By analysing the fatty acid 16:1ω5 from phospholipids (indicating mycelium) and neutral lipids (indicating storage structures) it was shown that increased fungal growth due to yeast was mainly in vegetative hyphae and less in storage structures. Arbuscular mycorrhizal hyphal phosphorus uptake was decreased by cellulose, but unaffected by the other substrates compared with the control. This means that both growth and phosphorus transport by the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus were decreased under cellulose treatment. However, the composition of the microbial community varied under different substrate conditions indicating a possible interactive component with arbuscular mycorrhizal hyphal growth and phosphorus uptake.     

Diversity and Spatial Structure of Belowground Plant–Fungal Symbiosis in a Mixed Subtropical Forest of Ectomycorrhizal and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Plants

Plant–mycorrhizal fungal interactions are ubiquitous in forest ecosystems. While ectomycorrhizal plants and their fungi generally dominate temperate forests, arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis is common in the tropics. In subtropical regions, however, ectomycorrhizal and arbuscular mycorrhizal plants co-occur at comparable abundances in single forests, presumably generating complex community structures of root-associated fungi. To reveal root-associated fungal community structure in a mixed forest of ectomycorrhizal and arbuscular mycorrhizal plants, we conducted a massively-parallel pyrosequencing analysis, targeting fungi in the roots of 36 plant species that co-occur in a subtropical forest. In total, 580 fungal operational taxonomic units were detected, of which 132 and 58 were probably ectomycorrhizal and arbuscular mycorrhizal, respectively. As expected, the composition of fungal symbionts differed between fagaceous (ectomycorrhizal) and non-fagaceous (possibly arbuscular mycorrhizal) plants. However, non-fagaceous plants were associated with not only arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi but also several clades of ectomycorrhizal (e.g., Russula) and root-endophytic ascomycete fungi. Many of the ectomycorrhizal and root-endophytic fungi were detected from both fagaceous and non-fagaceous plants in the community. Interestingly, ectomycorrhizal and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi were concurrently detected from tiny root fragments of non-fagaceous plants. The plant–fungal associations in the forest were spatially structured, and non-fagaceous plant roots hosted ectomycorrhizal fungi more often in the proximity of ectomycorrhizal plant roots. Overall, this study suggests that belowground plant–fungal symbiosis in subtropical forests is complex in that it includes “non-typical” plant–fungal combinations (e.g., ectomycorrhizal fungi on possibly arbuscular mycorrhizal plants) that do not fall within the conventional classification of mycorrhizal symbioses, and in that associations with multiple functional (or phylogenetic) groups of fungi are ubiquitous among plants. Moreover, ectomycorrhizal fungal symbionts of fagaceous plants may “invade” the roots of neighboring non-fagaceous plants, potentially influencing the interactions between non-fagaceous plants and their arbuscular-mycorrhizal fungal symbionts at a fine spatial scale.     

Twenty years of research on community composition and species distribution of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in China: a review

The biodiversity and distribution of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in different ecosystems and plant communities in China has received increasing interest over the past decades. This has led to a steady increase in the number of scientific papers published on this topic. Studies have surveyed AMF-colonizing rhizospheres of most families of angiosperms, bryophytes, pteridophytes, and gymnosperms. China has about 30,000 plant species (one eighth of the plant species worldwide). A total of 104 AMF species within nine genera, including 12 new species, have been reported in environments such as croplands, grasslands, forests, and numerous disturbed environments. In this paper, we review data published over the past 20 years on AMF community composition and species distribution, the mycorrhizal status of plants, AMF spore communities in different habitats, and germplasm collections in China. Possible future trends in the study of the biodiversity of AMF are also briefly discussed. In particular, the aim of our review is to make some of the recent work published in the Chinese literature accessible to a wider international audience.     

西双版纳热带雨林中丛枝菌根真菌的初步研究*

对西双版纳热带雨林中30个科的42种植物根系的丛枝菌根真菌定居情况进行了调查,并从这些植物的根际土壤中分离鉴定了分属于无梗囊霉属(Acaulospora)、球囊霉属(Glomus)和硬囊霉属(Sclerocystis)的25种丛枝菌根真菌。对热带雨林土壤中丛枝菌根真菌的孢子密度（spore density）、物种丰富度（species richness）以及已鉴定种的出现频率进行统计分析发现：热带雨林土壤中丛枝菌根真菌的孢子密度在每100g土壤116~1560个之间,平均478个;物种丰富度在2~7之间,平均为4.5;无梗囊霉属和球囊霉属真菌是热带雨林土壤中丛枝菌根真菌的优势类群。